Ishikozume
by Kondoru
Summary: The dreaded Onikui Tengu has been captured, but what to do with him? Kantarou's ancestor has plans, big plans...Hes going to subject him to the Ishikozume rite.
1. The Bird in a Cage

ISHIKOZUME by Kondoru

Part One -The Bird in a Cage

Standard disclaimers

Thanks to JP for Betaing.

* * *

Lord Edogawa walked slowly down the stairs, lost in thought.

He was a short man of early middle age, dressed in his best `not quite formal` robes. At his side was his family Dai sho, a set that he was always too painfully aware he was not able to use.

Still, he was a popular daimyo...Sometimes however, he would have put `memorable` over `popular`.

This was one such day. Lord Edogawa allowed himself a sad smile. Today he was `memorable` rather than `popular`. In fact at the moment he was the talk of Edo. Ironic that he should feel uncomfortable about it.

He stopped at a heavy door at the bottom of the stairs. It was oak plated with iron, now blood red in the lamplight.

Lord Edogawa gave a pre rehearsed knock.

A bar was drawn back from behind the portal, and it was pushed slowly open.

Behind it was a guardroom, now packed with fully armed and armoured samurai. They bowed at the sight of their lord.

Lord Edogawa returned with a nod. "Just checking." He said. Hatorji Enza, one of his captains waved him in.

"Have had no trouble, my lord, if you want to go see for yourself I'm sure Minamoto Raikato and Ichinomiya Akai Kiri will be pleased to see a new face." He paused. "They have been stuck in there all of ten days."

"They are the bravest of men." Lord Edogawa said.

"Yes, locked in with the..." Enza shuddered at the thought. "Anyhow, I must request you to give me your swords." He paused. "It was you who ordered no man should go in there armed." He added unnecessarily.

Lord Edogawa handed over his Dai sho, he felt better, less fake without it. He looked over his men; the hardened warriors were pale faced. Lord Edogawa gave them smiles of encouragement. This ordeal would not last many days.

The door on the other end of the guardroom was unlocked and Lord Edogawa stepped though. It was locked again behind him.

The corridor had a constriction here, so he had to bend double to get though. After it opened out.

Before the final door, one of Lord Edogawas few cannon was aimed. Two gunners and a third samurai sat beside it, fully in the knowledge that if they had to fire it off in such close confines, all would die in the blast.

Lord Edogawa gave them nods again. This was a pretty stressful position to be in, in fact a few days before Lord Edogawa himself had done a turn of guard duty though he was not sure what he might have done if there had been any incidents.

He was a popular Daimyo after all.

He stopped to contemplate the final door. Again of heavy iron plates.

The door was pasted with paper bearing various charms and spells.

Having come this far he could not back down now. He turned to the samurai. "I'll go in." he said with a lot of bravura.

The warrior swallowed. He picked up the keys and banged on the door. Then opened the spyhole. "It's our Lord." Was all he said.

Someone inside spoke assent. The samurai unlocked the door, pulled it ajar. Lord Edogawa stepped though, it was pushed shut, almost catching the back of Lord Edogawas robes such was the guards haste to relock the cell door.

Lord Edogawa stopped to get his bearings.

Inside the cell was lit brightly by oil lamps. In the corner was a camp stool upon which was sat a grim man all in full battle array, a finely made katana rested unsheathed on his lap.

Next to him, someone lay sleeping on a mat, bundled up in a futon printed with cranes.

The bulk of the cell was taken up by a stout steel cage, which was surrounded by a Taoist mirror diagram inked on the floor. Ofuda and charms were pasted seemingly at random all over the stone walls and metal bars of the cage. Topping this was a gohei delineating a sacred space.

`such a lot of magic to control someone who is so harmless looking` thought Lord Edogawa, as he stepped forwards to regard his `guest.`

Inside the cage a young man was seated primly upon a mat, he was dressed simply in a neat white kimono, and looked like one of the pretty boy courtiers that Lord Edogawa had (sometimes) high hopes for. He was tall and well formed, with a noble aquiline face.

This comely appearance was somewhat put off by the rough hair, once long and elflocked, but terrified servants had chopped off the worst of it, when they had bathed (scrubbed was a more realistic term) their unconscious captive when he had been brought in a few days before.

Lord Edogawa was still having nightmares over the thunderbolt casting, sword and tessen wielding demon, clad in blood stained robes and wearing red hakama made from the skins of oni who had literally cut a swathe though his samurai. The reality was...So different.

Lord Edogawa would have quite happily bedded this individual.

He hurriedly hid this thought. Tengu were said to be able to read others minds.

`He looks so unlike a tengu, let alone the dreaded Onikui Tengu...`

The captive regarded his master with the unreadable eyes of a wild bird. Lord Edogawa decided to say nothing. He was getting used to his prisoners insolence.

The man on the mat yawned and stirred, he pushed his head out from under the futon, revealing long shaggy white hair and the red eyes of an albino. He focused them with difficulty. "Oh-ho. "The young man sat up with a weak laugh. "So nice to see you, my lord." Smiled Ichinomiya Akai Kiri, he turned to the cage. "Onikui Tengu thinks so too, don't you, Onikui?"

That individual had the good grace to look affronted at this.

"Show some respect, Onikui," growled Minamoto Raikato from his corner (but his tone showed he had little hope of compliance.)

"Thanks for the food and sake, my lord." Ichinomiya Kiri nodded to himself in happiness, "both me and Minamoto Raikato have eaten well, I mean Raikato has...I am still on an ascetics diet." He turned to the still sulking Onikui "Onikui is grateful for your generosity to someone who really does not deserve it. " (This last was delivered in a rapid snarl.) "He has eaten well and in particular enjoyed the sake."

Lord Edogawa had to smile. "I'm happy you are satisfied with my poor abode."

The look on the caged tengus face was priceless.

"Just making sure that everything is going well. Do keep up the good work, all `three` of you."

The lord made his exit; Ichinomiya Kiri settled down to sleep again, the Onikui Tengu continued his brown study.

Minamoto Raikato stretched out his legs, armour creaking. "I just wish you would behave!" He growled at the caged tengu. Getting more affronted glares. "If you were a human I would have knocked some sense into your otter skull."

The Onikui tengu did react to that, he gave a grin, revealing the fangs of a fearsome supernatural predator. "Ah, but I'm not a puny human, am I?" He gave a fey laugh, "Once I get out of this cage..."

"Will you quit your whining! Who sees to it you get all the best things to eat, you get plenty of sake to drink, you have clean, comfortable bedding. Not to mention regular baths." Ichinomiya Kiri said sadly.

"I get ofuda stuck all over me." The Onikui Tengu added.

"We play games with you." Growled his companion who was heartily sick of getting beat at shoji and go.

"Yes, you are playing one hell of a game with me, aren't you?" their captive added snarkily.

The exorcist ignored this. "You are not chained up; you are free to move around."

"I cannot stretch my wings." Complained the Onikui petulantly.

It was true, the tengu had to sit with his flank up against the bars, and unfurl one great black pinioned wing at a time. He spent hours at a time in this interesting activity, and the rustling of his feathers were driving his captors quite mad.

"You wouldn't treat a bird like this." He growled bitterly.

Minamoto Raikato shook his head, "you are no bird, but a monster..."

"...And a sentient being," Ichinomiya Kiri added thoughtfully.

The day before yesterday had been the trial of the monstrous `oni eater`

This was not a conventional trial, by any means, but the Onikui was not a conventional criminal.

A wooden dais had been erected in the marketplace of the castle town, shaded with drapes in the colours of Lord Edogawas damyiate. Townspeople stood around. There were many of Lord Edogawas men in the crowd, unusually for these peaceable times fully armed and armoured.

There were also a fair few yamabushi. Ichinomiya Akai Kiri had called in many favours to see to it the environment was well occupied with magic users. You never knew when you needed supernatural support.

Lord Edogawa came riding in on his white horse. He wore the dark brown robes to match the town magistrates, who would be lending an air of proper procedure to this trial. His face was pale and expressionless. This day would make or mar his career.

Lady Edogawa came in a light ox drawn carriage; she stepped out, a grim look on her face, naginata in hand. It was obvious that if the Onikui got within slashing distance he would stand no chance.

And then came the unwilling star of the show.

Twenty handpicked warriors, all bearing matchlocks, followed by four kagamen, bearing a study wooden kaga, the doors bound shut with heavy bamboos poles lashed over them diagonally.

After that was another twenty gunners.

The kaga was manoeuvred to a place just before the dais, and put down; the warriors formed a solid square around it. The kagamen retreated to safety with warrantable haste.

It was Ryosukai, Hatorji Enza and Minamoto Raikatos duty to remove the poles and give the townsmen their first look at the infamous Onikui Tengu. This was sure to be good. The terror had been resident in their mountain range now for several decades, long enough to become something that mothers warned would get their children if they did not behave.

Ryosukai pulled away the last pole and unlocked the kaga door. "Come on out, tengu" he ordered gruffly.

Out stepped the horror. The Onikui Tengu had been given another bath, and a clean robe, "the result of the trial is a foregone conclusion," Ichinomiya Kiri had warned his feathery charge with an unusually stern voice "you are going to be sentenced to death, but on your behaviour may well depend whether it is a quick, honourable death, or something nasty and slow."

"I'll be good," the Onikui promised, he would do anything to be allowed to see the sun again.

The Onikui Tengu stood up, gratefully after the cramped confines of the kaga. He looked around, regarding the townsfolk with an innocent expression.

The citizens had been expecting something awful looking; not this harmless appearing youth, there were some murmurings.

"Who's a pretty boy then?"

"No way is that guy a tengu!"

"Looks like one of our lords boy toys to me"

"If he is, Lord Edogawa has strange tastes in playfellows."

There were a few laughs at the back.

"So you don't think he is a tengu?" Lord Edogawa said sadly.

"May I?" The Onikui asked with dissembling humility.

Ichinomiya Kiri nodded; mentally he dispelled the ward that prevented his charge from using his wings.

And the Onikui unfurled great black feathered wings and had a vigorous flap, like a bird fresh from its bath. He pulled a wing in front of him and ran his feathers though his hands.

The crowd gave a collective gasp and stepped back. They had not expected this.

His pinions unkinked, and with a smug look on his haughty face, the Onikui hid his wings. "Satisfied now?" He asked.

Kiri replaced the wards; he walked with the Onikui to the magistrate's dais, Minamoto Raikato following.

Next to it was the town's chief watchman, jittes in belt and a pale face. In his hand he bore a set of heavy handcuffs. The man had been quite surprised to see the fearsome criminal climb out of the kaga seemingly completely unrestrained. The watchman gestured with the handcuffs.

Ichinomiya Kiri shook his head. He knew full this time the annoying creature would comply.

The watchman backed down, Onikui looked smug.

And he wanted all to see the power he had over the strongest tengu of all. (Be humble, Akai Kiri, lest you yourself fall on the Tengudo...)

But the Onikui was being humble himself; he approached Lord Edogawa with modestly downcast eyes. The Onikui gave a suitably submissive kowtow, then he knelt on a reed mat before the dais, Minamoto Raikato and Ichinomiya Kiri stepped up to watch over their supernatural penitent.

It was a simple trial.

"What is your name, tengu?" Asked the Chief magistrate.

"They call me the Onikui Tengu" said that individual.

"Is that a title or a name?" the Magistrate pressed.

"It's a title," the Onikui Tengu told him firmly, "I don't have a name."

"Everyone has names."

The Onikui Tengu shook his head. "We tengu are beyond names. We have titles and that is that."

The Magistrate sighed and gestured to Lord Edogawa, who was holding a fat scroll.

Lord Edogawa read out the charges, which were numerous and somewhat serious.

Over sixty years of roaming the mountains in Lord Edogawas territory, the Onikui tengu had gained quite a reputation for himself. He had cleaned the region of youkai (including his fellow tengu) indiscriminately, and had been implicated in the demise of several people.

Most of those cases were simply of sporting members of the public who had believed they were capable of fighting and defeating a powerful member of a race far famed for its interest and skill in martial arts. Not a lot could be done about this.

The legally problematic instances concerned victims of possession. No less than seventy four posessees had been killed and eaten raw...This included Kiku, lord Edogawas little daughter. And that was only the well documented cases.

A few witnesses came forwards, family members who had their house broken into, and the sick person killed, in many cases torn to pieces and partially eaten. This was the act of no natural predator, but something much worse.

Several priests spoke up, describing similar sanguinary scenes they had been called to. All the physical evidence and results of divination had placed the blame firmly on the Onikui Tengus black winged shoulders.

Lastly was Lady Edogawa, who told all of the murder of her youngest daughter in a calm, severe voice. She described how Kiku had been possessed by a fox, how she was being taken to a shrine specialising in the eviction of such pests.

Their contingent had been apprehended just below the pass by some creature dressed in mismatched armour and the red skins of the slain oni, the creature had gleefully hacked the retainers and guards of Kikus kaga to pieces, blasting some with lightening and braining others with his tessen, He had then hauled her daughter out of her conveyance, killed her and devoured the fleshy parts.

"That creature belongs in the lowest of Hells; in fact such a place would be too good for the likes of him." Lady Edogawa said "He can eat as many oni as he pleases there, as long as he is as far away from the Ningyo as possible."

"So, do you plead guilty to these accusations?" The Magistrate prompted. (It was obvious that he wanted the Onikui Tengu to deny them so he could get out the instruments of torture to persuade him into the obligatory confession.)

"Yes I do," the Onikui bowed his head.

"Have you anything to say for yourself?"

"Excuses for my crimes?"

"Yes." Lord Edogawa said sternly.

The Onikui was a bit taken aback. He was under no illusions as to just how awful his crimes were. His fellow tengu (those who had not been killed and eaten.) Had made sure he knew what a monster he had become.

But he did not care. He had little status on the Tengudo; He was still a beardless young cock, and his bad background as a Heian court ladies pet bird did nothing to help. He had fought oni...Fighting was a natural and healthy part of tengu life, nothing wrong with that. So was battles with other youkai...The Onikui Tengu had first tasted his victims flesh in a winter famine. Inadvertently he had discovered that such a meal involved not only mere physical consumption but an intake of his victim's spiritual strength. After that, this got to be pretty much as bad habit as strong liquor or drugs. (Another vice tengu were prone to.)

He was surprised that these humans, a kind he had learnt though unpleasant experiences were not known for their good natures. (The Onikui had heard of that laughable word `humanitarian` and wondered how it could be applied to a being well known throughout the multiverse as being peculiarly imaginative with their badness. Certainly Fujiwara Tatsuhime had constantly surprised him with her abuses) were going to let him have his say.

Or was it their way of getting him to confess to even worse things? Humans were like that.

He had to say something.

"I've killed a lot of bad youkai, ones who would have caused much more trouble than I ever have. I ate them, it all added to my reputation as the strongest tengu of all." He announced with more than a hint of typical tengu pride in his voice. "I think I have done a lot of good."

"You are on trial for your bad deeds, not your good ones." The Magistrate informed him.

"Very well, I'm afraid I have fallen into bad ways." The Onikui Tengu had to agree. "But..." He paused. "Anyhow, I rather like the taste!"

"Is that all?" Lord Edogawa prompted.

Now for it. Something that would land him even deeper in the shit.

The Onikui bowed down to touch his forehead on the ground. (He remembered that Tatsuhime had liked him in that position a lot. He tried to put the memories of beatings he had endured out of his head.) "I'm really truly sorry for eating your daughter." he said in his calmest voice.

Lord Edogawa looked at Ichinomiya Kiri, who nodded slightly to say he believed the Onikui was sincere.

"She was possessed by a kitsune, but the kitsune fled before I killed her." The Onikui continued eyes on Lady Edogawa who fixed him with a gaze like Emma o. "I killed her quickly." He paused "I ate her, yes; human children are so tender and juicy to eat." The Onikui Tengu shut his eyes, partially at the memory, partially to get away from Lady Edogawas glare. "I should have let her go. "

"You are a monster" growled Lady Edogawa.

"I'm no better than an Oni myself." He whimpered, and then burst into tears. "I'm a disgrace to the Tengudo...Yes, I'm an outcast and if ever my fellow tengu get their claws on me..."

"You are fortunate it is humans who have captured you and brought you to justice." The Magistrate announced coldly.

The Onikui Tengu cried a bit. "Agh!" He whimpered, then dried his red rimmed eyes and looked up. "Do your worst, I truly deserve nothing less." He blew his nose on his sleeves in a manner that got nobodies sympathy.

All were silent.

"You are sentenced to death." Lord Edogawa finally announced. The crowd was silent. They had expected that. "But I grant you one boon." He paused, looking fully into the pools of madness that were the Onikuis eyes.

The Onikui flinched away. Tengu do not make eye contact.

"You yourself may choose the method of execution."

All gasped. This was unexpected.

What mode of death would a tengu, a being famed for their long (but not immortal) life choose?

"If you choose seppuku then I'll act as your second." Minamoto Raikato added helpfully. It would not be the first time he had done such a thing for a defeated youkai.

"I am honoured; however, that is not my choice." The Onikui paused. "I decide differently. I wish to die as a Yamabushi would, by Ishikozume rite."

There were some shocked looks at that. The Ishikozume rite was a dark ritual in which the victim was buried alive. It was the fate of those who offended against their sometimes harsh laws.

The Onikui Tengu had chosen the torture of the pit.

"Are you sure?" Prompted the Magistrate. "You may choose something quick and clean, it doesn't have to be too harsh."

"How do you think we execute offenders against our unwritten laws on the Tengudo?" Asked the Onikui blandly, "Don't forget I am a Tengu and no mere human."

"I am satisfied." Lord Edogawa gestured with his fan.

"I am too" Lady Edogawa agreed with a not nice glint in her eyes "Maniacs like him should be buried alive and forgotten about."

"I agree." Was all Minamoto Raikato said. It was obvious he wanted to use his sword on the Onikui Tengu.

Ichinomiya Kiri nodded, he looked satisfied, and this was playing to his plans nicely. It was `Just As Planned` in fact.

Lord Edogawa stood up, "The Onikui Tengu is to be executed by Ishikozume rite." He announced.

All were satisfied at that, including the Onikui Tengu.

"It's only going to be a few days more," Ichinomiya Kiri said sadly.

"Fortunately." Minamoto Raikato added nastily.

"Just wait until I get out of here! Just you wait!"

Ichinomiya Kiri groaned, "quit fighting you two, I have a headache." he paused, "I'm not going to allow Minamoto Raikato to beat the crap out of Onikui Tengu...And I'm not about to let Onikui Tengu eat Minamoto Raikato, am I?"

"I want the pot" The Onikui Tengu countered. (He was very good at switching randomly from one subject to another.)

"Let's get this right once more!" Minamoto Raikato banged his gauntleted fist on one armoured knee "Show some manners you damnable bundle of feathers!" He was weary of his captives appalling lack of basic good manners.

Ichinomiya Kiri ran his hands though his long hair in despair. "Did I tell you to stop fighting or did I tell you not to stop fighting?"

"Let me out of here, give me a sword and we shall see!" The Onikui Tengu hugged himself in delight at that thought.

"You will be the death of me!" Groaned the exorcist miserably. He had been continually in the cell for ten days...Listening to his two cell mate's bicker. It was driving him half mad.

"I do need to go. I'm not like our good Ichinomiya Kiri here who sits all day with a bamboo tube stuck on him." He gave that individual a knowing look.

Ichinomiya Kiri was silent. He knew that what the Onikui had not said that he was knew that the exorcist was losing strength rapidly, he could no longer meditate like he should have done...Though he could pretend to...And the Onikui was well aware his captor was weakening.

He had taught Minamoto Raikato a lot of simple techniques, that and made sure the brave demon hunter was supplied with plenty of fresh ofuda. The Exorcist was not sure it was enough. But he never let his self doubts get in the way of action.

"You could let me out to go behind the screen like you do." The Onikui suggested unreasonably.

"As if we trust you that far." Snarled Minamoto Raikato. The trial had stressed his nerves to breaking point. He was well aware that had the Onikui Tengu gotten loose during the trial, the creature would not have made a break for the sky (and getting gunned down by musketeers who had weapons enchanted by Kiri.) But no doubt would have instead butchered all in his reach.

"I've got to go myself." Kiri wriggled out of his futon, he waved a hand warningly at Raikato, who leaned forwards to help him up. Gasping he managed to find his feet and walk behind the screen.

Pretty soon he re emerged with the chamber pot. "Are you going to say please?" He demanded in a much more genteel manner than his youkai hunting companion, but one that still demanded cooperation.

"Please may this insignificant person use the chamber pot?" The Onikui Tengu said it to get Minamoto Raikato to scowl.

The samurai scowled on cue.

Luckily Ichinomiya Kiris back was turned. "That's better." He picked up the keys and unlocked the door, which was on a safety chain; it could be opened but not enough for the prisoner to wriggle out of.

"But I would like some privacy." The Onikui took the receptacle. He gave a wicked grin, "turn your backs or..." He laughed "...or I chuck it over the both of you."

Minamoto Raikato scowled some more but turned round on his stool. (He had suffered an impromptu bath early on in the ordeal.)

Before he turned his back, Ichinomiya Kiri rapidly reached though the bars and slapped a fresh ofuda on his victim's forehead.

His business done, the Onikui pushed the receptacle back out the cage door. (They had noted that though the Onikuis physiognomy was quite dissimilar to humans, -his blood was a rich dark red and his heart rate much higher than a human, his waste products were of no obvious difference.) "I'm finished now, thank you very much." He announced.

Kiri passed forwards the wash basin. Such niceties as hand washing seemed unfamiliar to their prisoner. Kiri, unable helped by Raikato had spent the last few days in coaching the Onikui tengu as to matters that any child should have known. Their guest when brought in had been in a disgusting mess of dried blood, pine sap, ash and general filth. Evidently baths were not high on the Onikui tengus agenda.

Minamoto Raikato would have been happy to leave him as he was, but Ichinomiya Kiri, had insisted his victim be cleaned up "We are going to have to be in close proximity to him until his execution; that's a fact." He had said "He smells like he's been on mountain retreats now since En no Gyojas time." (1)

Much to the castle servant's misery, the youkai hunters had a skimpy tub behind the screen every day. This was the only time the Onikui tengu was allowed out of his cage, Ichinomiya Kiri refreshed all the wards, and Minamoto Raikato stood over their captive with a drawn sword while he washed himself. It was fortunate that the tengu kept his wings hidden when not preening or exercising them. Having a huge wet bird about would have driven all parties beyond madness.

Though he said nothing, it was obvious the tengu was grateful for being reminded of normal life again. That and being treated like a civilised being and not some monster.

Business done, the Onikui tengu reverted to cheery mode yet again. "Do you want me to beat you at shoji again?" He asked his companions hopefully. (He was very good at shoji and go, though other games were less familiar to him.)

They were saved from that chore by a knock on the cell door.

"Watch him" Minamoto Raikato warned with excessive redundancy. Ichinomiya Kiri turned to observe his captive, who was seemingly in a harmless mood. (The Onikui Tengus moods switched like the wind.)

The Youkai hunter got up from his stool, and answered the door, it was opened, a tray shoved though and hurriedly relocked.

"Dinner!" Feeding times for the Onikui Tengu were a high point in his miserable life. His captors had realised that plenty of food was a possible way to keep their supernatural prisoner amiable and controllable. The Onikui was not stinted. Early on Lord Edogawa had wheedled a list of his favourites out of him. These came up regularly upon the menu.

Also sake...But only if he had been reasonably good.

The Onikuis dinner was that of an honoured guest, with one exception. He was not permitted any chopsticks. (Such things counted as items to be stabbed with.)

Not that such implements were familiar to the dreaded tengu. He would grab with both clawed hands and rip with his sharp fangs.

Minamoto Raikato took the Onikuis covered dish and the cage keys. The door was opened on its safety chain, and the dish was passed through to the Onikui who ripped off the lid without any grace and began to eat, though `devour` or `wolf` would be better terms for his enthused feeding.

"Revolting bird!" But Minamoto Raikatos jab went unheard. Ichinomiya Kiri picked up his bowl of fruit. He was indulgencing in ascetic practices, `tree eating. ` (abstinence from the five cereals) so his diet was rather austere. Raikato began his meal, with a few sidelong glances at the still guzzling tengu.

The Onikui was not always a hog.

Once lord Edogawas had spent a meal with his `guest`

Minamoto Raikato had told him bluntly that he had better be on his most refined behaviour or this time he would be beaten for sure. (For once his exorcist friend had not leapt to the poor creatures defence.)

To his credit, the wretched creature had been on his best behaviour. He had eaten and drunk with a delicacy that belied his true demoniac nature, and made polite small talk. Anyone would have thought he was a visitor rather than an extremely dangerous captive.

Lord Edogawa was pleased and when he departed sent down a whole keg of peach brandy.

The Onikui got royally plastered that night, and slept in a drunken stupor. His unwilling captors had to nurse him though a youkai sized hangover the next day. (But it kept him out of mischief.)

The famous (and infamous) trivurmate finished their meal in silence. Kiri lay back down. The Onikui did a bit more of his wing stretch exercises while Minamoto Raikato watched him, a bored look on his face.

Eventually he tired of this and the Onikui lay down upon his sleeping mat, curled up in his futon. He was soon asleep, (Minamoto Raikato noted the tengu slept a lot. Or he pretended to, at least.)

The youkai hunter stood up slowly, so as not to disturb his companions with the shuffling and creaking of his armour. He needed to stretch his legs. Minamoto Raikato stepped across the cell to his charges cage, ostensibly to check on the ofuda. He looked down at the sleeping face of his defeated rival. He sighed sadly.

The Onikui had been beaten, and it wasn't by Minamoto Raikato.

* * *

(1) The founder of Shugendo. A man of much magical ability. To quote the `Shoku Nihongi`

_Rumor says, "En no Gyoja was able to enslave spirits and let them draw water and collect fuel wood. When they were against his order, he bound them with his sorcery."_

Remind us of anybody?


	2. The Torture of the Pit

ISHIKOZUME by Kondoru

Part Two-The Torture of the Pit.

Standard disclaimers

Thanks to JP for Betaing.

* * *

It was dark in the forest. The night was starry, with a waning moon hatched by scudding clouds. It was early autumn, and the sound of crickets filled the air. The bamboos creaked thoughtfully in the wind.

Some way up the track was a glade, once quiet, now the centre of mysterious and mystical activity.

There was a sacred space marked by four posts on which were paper shide strung on rope, they fluttered in the slight breeze.

Unusually in this space was a round boulder, one as big as a horse. It was propped up by two thick logs. While his samurai companion was searching for the Onikui tengu, Ichinomiya Kiri had scouted though the woods at the back of Lord Edogawas estate. "What are you looking for?" said the Lord, one day when the exorcist came in late, covered in mud and bramble scratches.

"I'm looking for a boulder suitable for a god body..." Kiri had replied over a hot cup of tea.

"Setting up a shrine to pray for success?" Ryosukai, Lord Edogawas white haired advisor asked.

Kiri shook his white haired head sadly. "No, not at all." He looked into his half full cup as if scrying. "I need a suitable vessel for binding the Onikui as soon as we catch him."

"Bind him? Can you do that?" Lord Edogawa was curious. "I thought our youkai busting hero is going to kill that monster."

Kiri inspected a nasty thorn gouge upon the back of his hand. "Minamoto Raikato wants to defeat the tengu, if that involves killing him..." He thoughtfully peeled off a snippet of dead skin. "I won't stop him, but I want to see justice done. So we are going to try to bring him in alive."

Lord Edogawa went pale. "Can you hold him?"

"I think I can for a while..." Kiri went back to his tea bowl. "I'm going to prepare a cell for him. My spells are strong."

"Would it be safer just to kill him and take his head?" asked Ryosukai.

"I'm the one who is working to see justice done...I'll do it my way."

Lord Edogawa backed down though not without any good cheer. People like Ichinomiya Akai Kiri you simply do not argue with.

"Think of how I feel." Kiri sighed. "My parents abandoned me because of my strange looks. They called me a youkai!" He sobbed. "I grew up with youkai as my only friends. Youkai do not judge by appearances, they can see the inner you. Many are of quite uncomely looks. When I was an adult I was cast out of my village and sent into exile. So I learned magic." He looked down at his scratched hands. "I live by my powers...They are the only thing I possess in this world. They gained me a wife, I have two sons and I pray in thankfulness every day that they were born normal!" He rubbed a cut thoughtfully. "Whenever I go into a village people stare at me, they pull their children away from me lest I curse them with my red eyes." he fixed his gaze upon Lord Edogawa. "The Onikui Tengu is also an exile from his people. He is an outcast from the Tengudo. He lives alone."

So Ichinomiya Kiri had found a boulder, it looked like just any moss grown rock in the forest, but to the otherworldly red eyes of the master Exorcist, it was just ready to receive a kami.

Shame the kami did not want to enter an Iwarasaka.

That wasn't Ichinomiya Kiris problem, he prayed over the boulder, strung it with gohei, and burned incense before it.

"You will do," he said firmly to the rock.

This had been two weeks before. Three days after that the Onikui tengu had been carried in unconscious on a shutter.

Ichinomiya Kiri had chosen an auspicious day for his version of the Ishikozume rite.

It was midnight on a calm starry night in late summer. The glade was brightly lit by a sacred bonfire and torches stuck in the ground.

And there was the boulder.

The boulder was heavy. It had taken twenty strong men and a lot of levers and pulleys to get the thing into the position Ichinomiya Kiri wanted it in.

Underneath the boulder was a hole, neatly walled by white stones. Inside was a plain reed mat.

Somebody was going to be buried alive. But that was the justice of the Shugendo. Rough Justice.

There were the sound of footsteps and twenty yamabushi filed smoothly into the glade, in their best (i.e. least scruffy) regalia, the pillbox hats, pompoms, and swords of their esoteric order. Each of these items had mystical significance.

They were all senior yamabushi, of several mountain retreats experience.

These were followed by Lord Edogawa in his best formal outfit, eboshi on head, fan in hand. He was followed by Ryosukai, his grim looking wife, who still bore her naginata as if she was never going to part with it.

The centre of all this attention was a tall young man, who strode along, surrounded by a guard of six fully armed and armoured samurai.

He was dressed simply in a long white robe, -the colour of death and of one who is about to die.

this individual had shaggy roughly cropped hair, and a pleasing face, somewhat offset by the untameable fierceness in his red rimmed eyes, eyes that in spite of the darkness, were fully dilated. Most interestingly he had a pair of black feathered wings folded upon his back. But then, he was in fact a tengu.

The Onikui Tengu looked around him, at the cherries and bamboos, the fire, the impassive faces of the yamabushi. So this was the end, was it?

The tengu had expected to go down fighting. He was a tengu and expected nothing less of the Tengudo.

But this was the Ningyo. Things were different here.

Close behind was Minamoto Raikato, the hardened monster hunter. He bore a big bundle of fresh ofuda and a pensive look on his face. Minamoto Raikato was no magician, beyond the most simple that any experienced martial arts practitioners would know. However he was fully aware of the capabilities of many common youkai, including the tengu. He did not like to doubt the competency of his exorcist friend, but he was wondering if Ichinomiya Kiri had bit off more than he could chew.

Ichinomiya Kiri came up, supported by two monks, the exorcist had weakened visibly over the last few days, he had worked almost constantly to keep the powerful Onikui tengu from breaking the wards that held him paralysed. For the captive was down, but not broken.

Ichinomiya Kiri stepped free of his escort, taking his sacred shakuju, off of a senior. He drew in his breath several times, mentally preparing himself for the rite.

Ichinomiya Kiri was not even sure if it would be a success. No one had ever tried anything remotely like this before.

But he was confident in his abilities. He had kept the Onikui tengu bound this long. Now to make it permanent.

He pointed his shakuju at the tengu. "You are the dread Onikui Tengu, a monster among monsters!" his powerful voice belied his frail appearance; "you kill and eat oni...Not just oni, but possessed humans and even your own kind! You live on the flesh of sentient beings! You are the lowest form of life!"

The Onikui grinned at that, sharp canines glinting in the firelight. He was used to being cursed for his misdemeanours.

"Not even your own rulers, the Dai tengu, rulers of many mountains wish to see you spared. Lord Edogawa has received several messages from Dai tengu who wish to remain nameless, requesting we turn you over to them for justice." Ichinomiya Kiri planted his staff firmly on the ground. "I for one do not wish to imagine what discipline on the Tengudo might mean." He gave an evil smile. "I imagine such powerful beings have a way of caging evildoers for several human lifespans, if not millennia."

The Onikui was pale. All knew he had hated the cage his captors had incarcerated him in.

"Or something suitably cruel and unusual." Ichinomiya Kiri shook his white haired head. "I'm not a tengu!" He shouted to the horizon, "But I, Ichinomiya Kiri, am going to give you a second chance! I made a vow, once, that in return for great spiritual power, enough to defeat any ikiryo, gaki, yurei, ...Indeed even you, the strongest of all tengu, I would show mercy, I would listen to what the youkai had to say, for I have compassion, I would not banish, since I myself was banished for my abilities and appearance, I would not judge, for that is not my job, above all, I would not kill, because I myself am mortal."

All were silent.

"No, Onikui tengu, you thought your sentence would be to be executed by Ishikozume rite, did you not?" Ichinomiya Kiri gave the smile of one who knows his enemy is completely in their power.

The Onikui was silent.

"It's not. I for one would not pollute the land with the blood of one who has fallen on the Tengudo, one who is a known dealer in heterodox ritual, one who cannot control their lust for blood, one who eats the flesh of men, oni and tengu, one who belongs neither to heaven, though you are a powerful kami or hell even though you are a demon, or the world of beasts, though you may be a bird, or the world of asuras, despite your prowess in martial arts, or the world of men, despite your formidable intellect, or that of gaki, though your appetites are monstrous and unappeasable." He paused, "No, you are a tengu, born a tengu, reborn a tengu, incapable of salvation."

The Onikui glared around him with bloodshot eyes, was he going to get a lecture on his own spiritual deficiencies as opposed to the innate superiority of these weakling mortals. Mentally he prepared a spell.

"Let us pray we never fall to the sin of pride, for we see before us, the face of one who is a monster beyond redemption because he listened to himself before the kami, and had the devil of ego in his heart. Let us spend a million years in the avici hell before we fall to one day on the Tengudo. One day will be enough to damn us."

...If he could break these ofuda, he would be able to overpower one of these yamabushi, grab the guys sword...The Onikui smiled, his canines jutting as he mentally tested the wards, there would be a bloodbath here.

The Onikui tengu liked bloodbaths...

...He leapt catlike out from his surprised escort, one had the reactions to turn and thrust a naginata at him, the swordlike blade missed its target and slashed empty air.

Minamoto Raikato leapt forwards, if Ichinomiya Kiri was preoccupied with the rite, Minamoto Raikato was still alert and watching his prisoner for any mischief. Several times a day he had to pounce on his charge and stick new ofuda on him, for the dratted things had only a finite life, and the tengu fought against them constantly. Minamoto Raikato was sad, who could blame him? Tengu had a strong will to live; it was pitiful that this one's near immortal life should be brought to an end by humans.

in two bounds he was behind the Onikui, who mercifully was not making a sudden break for the sky...Minamoto Raikato could not follow him there, but bearing down on the leading yamabushi...And their swords.

Kamisama, no, not their swords...

Minamoto Raikato leapt like a tiger, bowling down the Onikui and scattering the startled yamabushi like dolls. He sat up, slapping a tengu paralysing ofuda on his now rather squashed victims back. The samurai and yamabushi crowded round, pointing various weapons at the aspirant runaway.

Minamoto Raikato got off him and yanked the Onikui to his feet by his hair. "Don't even think about it, tengu," he advised. Minamoto Raikato turned to the others. "It's a shame you misused your strength, I have known many tengu, one thing you must remember is...Tengu are not evil." Minamoto Raikato had to take his chance to lecture his victim.

"So I'm not going to kill you." Ichinomiya Kiri nodded to all, "what would that achieve? You will only be reborn as yet another tengu, won't you? Instead I plan to bind you in this rock, there you will remain, be it years, centuries or millennia, until one who is as strong as me will set you free, you will sleep, and you will not dream." The assembled yamabushi gasped. They had prepared themselves mentally for the Ishikozume rite, one of the most spiritually demanding in their faith, and one fearfully close to heterodoxy. Though it meant the pollution, -and guilt, of death, it also purified their community by the just execution of a wrongdoer, and offender against their faith.

All knew that if the Onikui had been captured while in the realms of the Tengudo, this would be his fate. They were doing nothing wrong.

The Onikui was lost in thought, he bowed his head submissively. He hadn't expected to be spared. He had no real concept of mercy.

"No, this is not your punishment from me, my chastisement is," Ichinomiya Kiri gave a grim smile, his red eyes glinting in the firelight, "to take your name off of you, leave you nameless."

The tengu, who all though the ritual had remained as stony faced as the yamabushi, burst out into tears. "Do what you will with me, but don't leave me to die without a name!" He squalled.

Ichinomiya Kiri was also weeping. "I'm doing you a big favour...Do you want to be called `Demon killer` for the rest of your life?"

"It's my name, the only name I own." was the plaintive reply. "Don't do it, master, please!"

"They who will release you will give you a name, so you can turn over a new leaf, I'm sure. And you will answer to it, petty or embarrassing it might be, as they will take no risks with such a powerful monster as you, but will bind you to it."

"I'll be no mans slave!" Snarled the Onikui, He fought against the ofuda.

"You will obey them...It's part of the condition of your eventual release." Ichinomiya Kiri said sadly, "did you think I was going to turn you loose on an unsuspecting world? A world which will have forgotten what a monster among monsters the Onikui Tengu is?" He looked sad. "I'm no liberal and nor am I foolish."

He made no mention that such a long period in statis would render the Onikui without his memories...That way he would be forced to reform.

Ichinomiya Kiri nodded to the two of Lord Edogawas men, they grabbed the helpless creature by the arms, the unfortunate tengu was marched up to the boulder and seated firmly on the straw mat, his eyes were full of apprehension as if he couldn't quite believe that he was in this situation. He snuffed the air, cocked his ears and looked around; trying to take in the world he was going to be locked away for finally from.

"Have you any final requests?" Ichinomiya Kiri asked, "We have food, sake...I know you like sake. I don't want you to hate me."

"I'll hate you until the end of the world!" shouted Onikui with all his strength. A sleeping bird woke in fright and flew away.

"Be calm, I have spared your life."

"My life's not worth anything!" growled the tengu, his eyes following the flying bird longingly.

Lord Edogawa stepped forwards, "do you think it might be better if he was just beheaded?"

Ichinomiya Kiri shook his head. "What sort of ikiryu would a powerful soul like Onikuis become? Merciful is the better way, I assure you."

"Mercy?! You call being raped repeatedly by a `human` mercy?" All started at that.

Lord Edogawa pulled his hands out of his sleeves, "if anyone has hurt you while you were in my custody tell me now! I will see to it justice is done before you are bound."

Minamoto Raikato and Ichinomiya Kiri looked at each other. Both had remained with Onikui day and night for the days since his capture. They had not been responsible for any harm done to the creature, and would have known if anyone else had.

Onikui began to laugh, the fey laugh of one doomed, "Thank you for your kindness my lord, I was not violated while in your care no, I speak of my master to come, who will own my body, soul and mind...I've lived with humans, I know full well what vile creatures humans are, what unspeakable lust driven gaki even the seemingly most virtuous ones are." He caught all of their eyes in turn. "I've known what it's like to be flying free like a bird, to be called by my mistress, stripped of my clothing, and ordered to pleasure her." He paused, lost in dark memories, "I'm a tengu, we do not mate, except to breed, and that we do seldom...How can I be expected to do the job of a lustful human male? Her needs were insatiable and ten men could not keep her happy!" He wailed in genuine agony. "But it was me who would be beaten black and blue, (for she was an oni who took pleasure in hurting others) it was me who was hammered with ofuda until I could not stand, it was me who had an ofuda that prevented me from flying bound about my neck." He burst into tears, "and it was me who was given to other people to use for their lusts in return for both political favours and money!" He howled.

All were silent.

"It's the humans who are the real monsters! Kill me, if, for the love of all that's decent, kill me...I promise not to haunt you." Onikui sobbed, "I'll become a protective deity." The Onikui was in real distress.

"Minamoto Raikato?" Lord Edogawa nodded to him.

Minamoto Raikato shuffled his feet; he rubbed his sword hilt thoughtfully. "I won't do it," the samurai said irritably.

"Why not?"

"I won't kill him while he is helpless. I want to fight and defeat the `real` Onikui, strongest of all! To do so now would be an act unworthy of me, my sword, my family and my honour."

Ichinomiya Kiri sighed, "Thanks, Minamoto Raikato" It was obvious he would back the Youkai hunter up fully.

The Youkai hunter shook his head. "You are not my lord so I cannot follow your orders beyond reason. I would willingly die defending my country from youkai; I have often been injured near to death by them. But like Ichinomiya Kiri here, I like to think my powers and prowess derive from the fact that I have standards...I don't oppress the weak; I won't harm a defeated enemy. And the Onikui has been fully defeated."

"We can end the rite now," Ichinomiya Kiri said. "...But at most I can hold him only a few days longer." He groaned "...After that..."

Minamoto Raikato looked hopeful. (So did the Onikui.)

"If you call for a proper official public executioner to behead him, I won't oppose you. I won't like it but I won't stop you." Minamoto Raikato shook his head. "But don't ask me to do it. I'm satisfied with this rite; it will rid the world of something awful, and the Onikuis given a chance at redemption."

Ichinomiya Kiri leaned upon his staff, eyes shut, and he opened them. He pointed to Onikui. "If I and Minamoto Raikato were to take you to the Tengudo, hand you over to your superiors for judgement, would you object? Would you fight my ofuda still?" He asked suddenly.

"I do not agree." The Onikui frowned. He looked thoughtfully into the flickering flames for a minute. The Onikui shook his head as if trying to wake from a nightmare. "I have been your captive now for over ten days. During that time I have been caged and bound with ofuda...Not a pleasant experience for a bird, I tell you that." He sighed deeply. "But during that time Minamoto Raikato and Ichinomiya Kiri here have treated me with decency, indeed, kindness. I have known very little kindness in my life. My mother died birthing me, the other tengu including my father shunned me for that. I came to the Ningyo...As I said, that experience was very unpleasant. I then became the Onikui, venting my anger on any youkai that came near." He smiled, "We tengu are supposed to possess people. I have been possessed by demons of my own making." He gave the harsh laughter of a bird. "Minamoto Raikato and Ichinomiya Kiri have shown me the other side of life, one that even a brute such as me craves. If it would not impinge on your honour, I'd like to call you my friends." He began to cry again.

Minamoto Raikato was weeping; he knelt by the Onikui and stroked his long black wings, "I wish we could have met in better circumstances. You're not such a bad sort after all; you can see where you went wrong." He bowed his head, "the Onikui is right, humans can be monsters too."

Ichinomiya Kiri groaned again, the yamabushi shuffled their feat uneasily, all knew he was near to death. "I'm sorry about the ofuda," he blew his nose, "I'm glad I made you happy."

The Onikui wriggled his wings as much as the hole he was in would permit, which wasn't much. "If our roles were reversed, I wouldn't be ashamed to use such Ofuda, -and I wouldn't show kindness." He shut his eyes slowly, as if seeing something. Then he blinked. "And for this reason I could not allow you to take me to the Tengudo I wouldn't want you to take the risk. Stay away from the Tengudo...Tengu are not nice, not nice at all." He winced. "No, I'll be stone seated; I'll gamble that my future master is as decent as you too. I have finally known love...I promise to try to become a better person because of you."

Minamoto Raikato was serene, "I'll pass my sword onto my son, and I'll retire to a monastery, and pray for a happy future for you...I'll even take up exorcism."

Ichinomiya Kiri caught his breath, he wheezed. "I don't think I'll survive this." He smiled happily. "But I'll go out with a bang!"

The Onikui grinned, though this time his fangs were concealed. "I'll go out with a bang too! We tengu like explosions. I'm sure when word of my fate reaches the ears of the Dai tengu...We will no longer regard humans as pathetic weaklings any more. That's something worthy of me, I think." He rubbed his untengulike nose. "I'm honoured to be bested by such formidable opponents. And for this reason I renounce the name of Onikui." He smiled wanly at Lord Edogawa "I don't want to be a monster anymore." He looked expectantly at the yamabushi, Ichinomiya Kiri, Minamoto Raikato and Lord Edogawa.

Lord Edogawa gestured with his fan, "continue."

"Can I have some sake please?" Came a plaintive voice from the hole.

Lord Edogawa sighed though he was relieved that his captive was becoming reasonably tractable. "I rephrase that, Ichinomiya Akai Kiri; continue the rite just as soon as the Onikui has his drink."

* * *

"Ready now?" Ichinomiya Kiri took the empty bottle the Onikui Tengu handed him. He passed it to one of the yamabushi.

"Ready as I will ever be" nodded the centre of their rite.

Ichinomiya Akai Kiri drew himself up to his full height, which really was not much. "Bring forth the guardian deities."

A senior yamabushi stepped forwards, holding a bundle of wooden slats. These were carved with the names of the Shitenno (Four Heavenly Kings) and Godai myo-o.(Five Wisdom Kings.) Ichinomiya Kiri took them, and began to move around the boulder.

"Bishamon-ten! " Ichinomiya Kiri placed the first stake.

"Gonzanze myo! " He paused to consult a divinatory compass.

"Jikoku-ten!" The exorcist moved around to the other side and placed the next marker.

"Kongo yaksha myo!" Was the next guardian deity.

"Komoku-ten!" Ichinomiya Kiri began the next boundary.

"Gundari myo!" He consulted the compass again.

"Dai-itokou myo!" Then to the next station.

"Zocho-ten!" He completed the diagram, except for the centre.

"Fudo!" Ichinomiya Kiri stepped forwards to stick the stake bearing that inscription right in front of the now quiescent Onikui.

He stepped back and regarded his handwork with satisfaction.

The exorcist was marking out a mandala of the guardians around the rock, these corresponded to his kuji, but Ichinomiya Kiri was using the same magical principle at a much more advanced level.

He pulled off his outer robe and handed it to a silent yamabushi, the exorcist wiped sweat out of his eyes with a towel. This was the hardest rite he had ever attempted.

"I call upon the tengu, Dai tengu and Sho tengu, to witness my rites..." He continued, his voice resounding to the horizon.

"I call upon the Sun and the Moon, and the impetuous male with his long hair."

"I call upon the Red Sparrow God, and the Nameless ones, whom the earth trembles at the thought of."

"I call upon the seven stars, and my Ancestors, who have been both blessed and cursed with gantsu and mimitsu (Clairvoyant vision and hearing.)"

"I call upon my descendant, who one day may break these wards...But only if he is worthy."

"And lastly on Fudo Myoo, he who is as immovable as a rock. May he hold this sinner in bonds until he is absolved from all his crimes!"

"You will one day awake in the future, cleansed of all your sins, farewell Onikui Tengu!"

The subject of all this magic had so far sat as still as a statue in his hole. "Farewell white rat!" He cried cheerily. "Farewell Youkai buster! Farewell grumpy Lord!"

Ichinomiya Kiri stepped forwards, sweat running in torrents down his face. He threw down his shakuju and began his mudra with untrembling hands.

He began by making the mudra `Seal of the Thunderbolt. `

"**RIN!** _On baishiramantaya sowaka_." (All hail the Vajra (diamond thunderbolt) of glory and sacrifice, Om!)

Clouds drifted across the moon.

Next came the `Seal of the Great Thunderbolt. `

"**PYO!** _On ishanaya intaraya sowaka_." (All hail the instrument of divine righteousness, Om!)

The bamboos squeaked agonisingly.

Followed by `Seal of the Outer Lion. `

"**TOU!** _On jiterashi itara jibaratanō sowaka_. "(All hail the exultant and glorious celestial jewel, Om!)

Rain rattled the trees, dispersing as rapidly as it had begun.

Then `Seal of the Inner Lion. `

"**SHAI!** _On hayabaishiramantaya sowaka_." (All hail the swift thunderbolt of exalted strength, virtue, and glory! Om!)

A fox barked in the forest.

He clenched his hands together `Seal of the Outer Bonds. `

"**KAI!**_ On nōmaku sanmanda basaradan kan_. "(Homage to all-pervading diamond thunderbolts. Utterly crush and devour! Om!)

A flock of crows took panicked flight.

`Seal of the Inner Bonds` came after.

"**JIN!**_ On aganaya in maya sowaka_. "(All hail the glory of Agni (God of the Sacred Fire). Om!)

Lightning played across the northern horizon, though there was no storm.

Rapidly moving into `Seal of the Interpretation of the Two Realms. `

"**RETSU!** _On irotahi chanoga jiba tai sowaka_." (All hail the radiant divine all-illuminating light, bursting and streaming forth in all directions, Om!)

The bamboos began to rattle like the spears of an army.

He spread his hands in `Seal of the Ring of the Sun. `

"**ZAI!** _On chirichi iba rotaya sowaka_." (Glory to Divine perfection, Om)

The wind gusted, whipping up leaves and dust.

Kiri finished with `Seal of the Hidden Form. `

"**ZEN!**_ On a ra ba sha nō sowaka"_ (All hail! A ra pa ca na. Om!)

The kuji-in was finished. The earth shook as in a tremor.

There was a jarring thump as the huge boulder broke free of its ropes and slammed down into its original position.

All was silent for what seemed like hours, but must have only been seconds.

Ichinomiya Kiri seemed to have aged decades during the rite. He stood, hands limp by his side, head lolling. Minamoto Raikato came out of his astonishment to step forwards and take his brave friend in his armoured grasp.

"Hold me up, my friend," the exorcist sobbed, "let me check."

Minamoto Raikato walked slowly to the rock, half carrying, half supporting his stricken companion.

Ichinomiya Kiri placed his hands upon the rock. He turned to the silent Lord Edogawa, tears of relief in his eyes. "It is over." He said weakly, leaning against the rock, "Onikui sleeps."

And Ichinomiya Akai Kiri fell as if made from stone. He did not get up.


	3. The Will of a Stone

ISHIKOZUME By Kondoru

Part Three-The Will of a Stone.

Standard disclaimers

Thanks to JP for Betaing.

* * *

The Adept stood by the rock, fingers on chin in deep thought. He was a tall, lanky individual in a grubby white robe, much smeared with the resin of pine trees and charcoal.

He had a cheery girlishly pretty face, the long hair of a courtier and beautiful white wings.

Or at least, Sugino had once possessed such good looks.

These days his face was drawn and pale though the most fearful austerities known to tengu, his eyes red rimmed though lack of sleep, his hair was the matted locks of a wild hermit and his wings as dirty and ragged as his clothing.

It was all in a good cause.

He had spent several years in preparing himself both mentally, physically and spiritually for this.

Sugino intended to release the seals on the dreaded Onikui tengu.

He wasn't afraid of the Strongest of all tengu.

Indeed Sugino probably counted as that individual's only friend.

He had not been born a tengu, but had been turned into one by the Kami as punishment for his shamelessly egoistical ways. Sugino had spent many years in lonely wanderings, trying to come to terms with his dark ascension. He had hated life, hated himself, and hated everyone. It was a miserable sort of existence.

Meeting with the Onikui had changed that. The Onikui was also a violent outcast. They were birds of a feather.

The Onikui had made him want to live life again. It might not be a normal one, but he would learn to like the Tengudo. He was stuck there after all.

Now he had been defeated...Not by Oni, but by humans, a kind much weaker. What had gone wrong?

It was Suginos duty to rescue his friend.

Lastly, Sugino liked the challenge, He wasn't much of a fighter, but even by the high standards of the Tengudo, he was good at magic.

He had been here nearly five days, trying each and every unbinding spell in his considerable repertoire.

No luck. The rock remained as obdurate as stone, and its sleeping prisoner remained asleep.

Sugino nearly kicked the offending lump of granite, but managed to remember his feet were bare. (He wasn't always the baka some people made him out to be.)

"The things I go though to get you out of hock, you black feathered bastard." He snarled.

* * *

After the Ishikozume rite it was a bit of an anticlimax.

They buried Ichinomiya Akai Kiri in Lord Edogawas family cemetery. It seemed the right thing to do.

Lord Edogawa sat writing in his office; Ryosukai came in, completely derailing his haiku.

"Shame about Ichinomiya Akai Kiri," Lord Edogawa said mournfully.

"He was very weak, people with his defect are often sickly," said Ryosukai soothingly "He had a family, did you know?"

Lord Edogawa was a little startled at that, but he knew exorcists often married. They weren't your usual monk

"A couple of little boys, -both are normal, I'm glad to say."

"Normal as in having no abilities or normal as..." Lord Edogawa left it hanging. He had never mentioned Kiris deformity in front of him but had heard several people refer to `That white rat. `

Ryosukai smiled. "We don't know if they have abilities as yet."

"Do you think they would accept a reward?" lord Edogawa said plaintively. "Where do they live anyway?"

"Somewhere to the north of Kyoto." Ryosukai replied. "I imagine near Mount Hiei." Which made sense really, Mount Hiei being one of the holiest mountains in the country.

"I knew he wasn't local."

"There's more." Ryosukai shuffled his papers uneasily "Minamoto Raikatos left." Was all he said.

Lord Edogawa gave a great sigh. He had expected this. "We were going to reward him handsomely too." Lord Edogawa was sad

"He's not like that," said Ryosukai, "it's for the best, I think."

"Very well." Lord Edogawa nodded. "But I think we will tell everyone just what a good job Minamoto Raikato did for me. He is a true youkai hunter." What do you do with such awkward people?

* * *

That spring, lord Edogawa visited Ichinomiya Kiris widow. He had meant to earlier, but things just piled up on top of him. And then there was his wife's new pregnancy.

He sat in the guests of honour place, drinking tea and feeling very awkward. Why had Kiri had to die over some stupid rite? Why hadn't he ordered Minamoto Raikato to behead that wretched youkai? In retrospect it seemed such a stupid thing to do, put the welfare of a tengu and a very bad tengu at that over an innocent human.

"He was very brave," lord Edogawa felt so fake for telling her such a cliché. He fiddled with his fan uncomfortably. "I know that sounds so glib of me."

The widow nodded, "I'm fully aware of the power of the Onikui tengu. To be frank I'm surprised my Kiri succeeded." Kimu told him with conviction.

"He had a lot of help." Lord Edogawa said "Minamoto Raikato, the famous Youkai hunter was there."

Kimu nodded again. She took a sip of her tea. "He would not have been able to do it without your help."

"Is that it?" Lord Edogawa had thought his role in the venture was to make sure the heroes had enough hot tea to drink.

"Yes, you gave support and supplies, and made sure that there was a secure place to hold the Onikui, "she rubbed a drop of tea off of her cup thoughtfully. "You mostly were not afraid to let Kiri do his own thing. And you helped him see justice was done. A small part? No."

"You make me sound like a hero as of old."

"According to Kiri you had a meal with the Onikui Tengu, locked in the dungeon with him, completely unarmed. I think that's very brave."

"The Onikui was bound with spells to cage him and render him docile. He was no threat to anyone."

The exorcist's widow was resolute. "You had faith in my husband's magic's, even to trust them to keep you safe in the presence of a powerful demon, the strongest tengu by far. "She paused. "I'm glad you accepted my husband...He's had a hard life, he has always been an outcast for his strange appearance."

"Um, what do I say to that doesn't seem clichéd?" Said Lord Edogawa pathetically.

"Please don't feel bad about it." Kimu suggested. "How is your wife?" she changed tack.

"still abrasive, but I love her." He paused, "She was going to kill the Onikui herself. She put me to shame." He paused again. "She's got a new pregnancy to distract her."

"That's a nice way to put it." Kimu was always respectfully semi formal with the Lord, he noticed. Rather like her late husband. But Kimu was a medium; she was different to those who had never seen the Other World.

Lord Edogawa gave a slight shudder. He himself had seen the Other World, in the dark eyes of a mad youkai and the red eyes of a too sane human...He didn't want to get any closer.

"I want to reward you, if it does not seem presumptuous or insulting. Kiri died on me, Raikato departed to parts unknown. I know dealing with the Other World puts you beyond material goods. "He smiled. "I would like to offer you and your sons a place in my retinue."

Kimu thought a bit. She then said. "I will not make the decision for them, but can it wait until they are old enough to decide for themselves?"

"Yes, that's a good idea."

* * *

Spring turned to summer.

One day, Lord Edogawa was out riding, on a whim he turned up the track which led to a certain large boulder.

He wasn't sure just what he would find. The rock was moss grown, and looking like a natural part of the forest.

Lord Edogawa walked up to the massive rock, which looked as if it had never taken a prominent part in a Shugendo rite ever.

He placed his hand upon it. Of course, he could feel nothing. Was there anything to feel?

Lord Edogawa walked back to his horse shaking his head sadly.

* * *

It became a test, over the following centuries, for aspiring exorcists to go to the rock of the tengu, as it was called, and attempt to break the wards and free the imprisoned Onikui.

They found nothing.

Eventually, as has happened in so many places, `tengu` was confounded with `tenko`, -the protective kami was remembered as a fox.

As Lady Edogawa had hoped, the Onikui Tengu was dead, buried and forgotten.

* * *

Except by one person...

Dirty white hands made a mystical gesture.

"Break!"

The white winged tengu made another kuji-in

"Muuu!" Said his companion unhelpfully.

"Be quiet, Muu-chan, I'm trying to do magic." The tengu pulled off his inner robe and hung it up on one of the spars of the long collapsed shrine. He sighed, thin chest heaving. The tengus ribs stuck out like those of an umbrella, he had spent the winter in the austerities of the great cold, not only that, had fasted pretty much all year, all in order to gain the necessary spiritual power for his attempt to free his friend.

He paced up and down, trying to think of a new variant of the unbinding spell.

"Muu?" Suggested Muu-chan.

"No..." And Sugino entered a fresh new cominbination of spells.

Nothing happened.

Sugino leaned against the rock, panting.

Muu-chan sat atop the rock, in spite of Suginos health and safety advice concerning `fearsome youkai sealed up in rocks`

Blast it all! Sugino had tried hitting the rock with his lightning, but only managed to singe his feathers with a flashback. Was he not the strongest of adept, a master at magic...How else had he undergone such a dark ascension to become a tengu?

His friend had been sealed away in this rock...How dare they? Sugino was beginning to hate humans more and more.

Every century or so, Sugino would come visit the shrine, cursing and growling at the heavenly fox written on the sign. (He was half tempted to correct it; the pettiness in Suginos heart overruled that.)

This was the first visit since he had married Muu-chan. How he wanted to show off his beautiful young wife to the Onikui!

He would put up wards of his own, partially to keep out malign influences, partially to hide his efforts from the senses of other adepts...And individuals who wanted to keep the Onikui bound.

Then he would tie back his sleeves and set to work.

And get nowhere except hot, sweaty and shown up in front of Muu-chan.

The Onikui would not come out, not for his best friend...What was he up to?

Sugino decided to give in...For now.

"Come on Muu-chan," He picked up the small green youkai, "if he's going to be like this, he can rot for a few more centuries."

What Sugino did not realise was that since his friend was now nameless, he could not answer to his given name or his title. No wonder all Suginos magical efforts came to naught.

* * *

Of late the Onikui tengu was having dreams

He had slept a long time, and couldn't wake up, so he had taken refuge in his dreams...if that was the right term for the torment he suffered.

He could not remember his past, and so was forced to relive Ichinomiya Akai Kiris version of the Ishikozume rite he had been the victim of.

The rite of his binding repeated and repeated, he couldn't get away from his defeat.

Trapped in his occasional hell, the Onikui tengu was getting more and more desperate...He tried repeatedly to reach out to the physical world...If he could attack the wards from the outside...possibly even possess someone and make them perform the rite...

...But of course Kiri had thought of that, hadn't he, the red eyed bastard. The Onikui tengu couldn't remember his past...And so couldn't use his powers. He was as helpless as a Karasu tengu chick in its shell.

Yet the Onikui had one hope, one solace. There was one person in the world who knew about him, cared for him.

He dreamt of Ichinomiya Akai Kiri. Or was it Akai Kiri? For this individual was just a child.

Like Kiri this little boy was an albino. (He was a relative of Kiri?) He was sickly, a cry-baby, not much good at making friends, but of course his strange appearance and aversion to daylight didn't help.

He didn't have many friends, human one's, for he could see youkai...The people of the Other world befriended him and protected him.

They had told him about the Onikui tengu...He was the strongest tengu of all...No one could bully him or laugh at him.

But he was sealed away somewhere...The little boy was upset. How could a being so magnificent be imprisoned away from the world? It was not fair.

He chose the Onikui tengu as his patron. In doing so he created a mental bond between them.

Suddenly life was much better; he had a window, however tenuous to the physical world. The tengu did what he could to help the poor boy, which was precious little

In return he received the unconditional love of a child.

The Onikuis new friend made him feel things he had not thought it possible he was capable of feeling. It was new and ultimately terrifying. But he thrived upon fear. Even his own fear. Love was just as exhilarating.

The boy set up a little shrine to his personal kami.

The Onikui felt at ease. He had never been worshipped, as some Tengu were; and of course he simply loved having his ego preened.

He gave his strength, or did he draw it from his sole worshipper? The boy had a strong will, stronger than most humans.

Part of him wanted to tell the boy to give up, he was simply not strong enough to break Ichinomiya Kiris potent wards, that he didn't even know where the Onikui Tengu was bound...Should he be letting loose such a notorious individual anyway?

His little friend drew a picture of how he visualised the Onikui Tengu, a long nosed creature with wings tearing apart and devouring terrified oni.

The Onikui tengu was touched.

He was the little boy's hero, a frightening demon who nevertheless fought evil. The Onikui tengu was the strongest; he was everything the boy was not.

He was sad that such a magnificent creature as the Strongest tengu of all would be sealed away from the physical world.

"When I find you, I'm going to set you free!" Was his promise every day.

The Onikui Tengu hung onto that. It was the only hope he had.

* * *

The first thing the tengu saw when the wards holding him were dispelled, and the great boulder split down the middle to let the autumnal sun shine on him, were the red eyes of his arch enemy. `That was quick` he thought.

But on reflection he realised it was not so, he had felt the exorcist pour the last of his considerable power into the incantation to get it to work, no way could Ichinomiya Akai Kiri be alive!

He looked around, the shrine was in ruins and small trees and bamboo had grown up around, just how long had he been bound?

To the tengu, it was merely a night's slumber.

He looked again at the mortal who had woken him...This was a younger version of Ichinomiya Akai Kiri, with his white hair cut much shorter...It was someone else. This individual regarded him with a look of hero worshipping delight.

It was his friend from his dreams.

He looked into these not so unfamiliar strangers eyes. Tengu do not make eye contact. They know what they will see, and it's not nice.

All he saw in this persons eyes was love. There was no evil in his soul. (What the Onikui did not realise was that Ichinomiya Kantarou was unusually clever at concealing his soul.)

The tengu was immediately charmed.

And this man, so like and unlike Ichinomiya Kiri had given him a name! A girl's name, to be true, but it was a proper name of an ordinary individual and not some demonic being.

That demonic being inside him screamed that this was all wrong, that he shouldn't be letting a human gain power over him.

He also knew this might be his only chance at release...And it looked such a nice day.

How could he refuse such a request? It was well within his power.

So the tengu decided to accept the rite of binding. He was ever the pragmatist.

"I am Haruka..."

* * *

"Welcome to Hell, Haruka." Youko the Kitsune told him when he had come down from his room (not a cage!) after an exhausted but natural sleep. "Even a mighty tengu like you will be humbled under Kantarou."

The newly named tengu had to smile to himself. Youko was a fox, in spite of her intelligence she was still an animal...In a former life she may have been in Hell, but she clearly had no memory of it.

Yet he had no real memories of the time before his binding. Who was he? Who was this creature Kantarou worshipped called the Onikui tengu?

He felt no real connection to that being. He was Haruka, an ordinary kohana tengu...And a slave to Ichinomiya Kantarou, the exorcist.

Still, a tengu has to know both Heaven and Hell...It's all they will ever know...And it's what makes them so strong.

Haruka sat down to breakfast. He was part of the normal world again.

Kantarou came sauntering in in his night robe, last night's text hanging from one hand. "Good morning Youko, Good morning Haruka."

Both Youkai gave a slight bow to their human master. "I see the night dweller is up." Youko said with no irony.

Kantarou gave a big smile to Haruka. "I hope you slept well, Haruka." He said "Do you like it here?"

"It's a bit of a shock to the system." Haruka admitted. This was an alien world...But Haruka was an alien himself.

Ichinomiya Kantarou had indeed set the Onikui tengu free...In order to enslave him. He had balls of steel, Lashings of effrontery and incredible amounts of spiritual power.

And Haruka was going to have to get used to this world and this master. He shook his head slightly. He did not mind the Name-pact...Humans didn't live long. Fifty years time and he would be free again.

They ate breakfast in silence; while the sun shone on a world that was both familiar and unfamiliar...But wasn't the Tengudo like that?

Haruka for one, was eternally glad to be part of the physical world again.


	4. Appendices

ISHIKOZUME By Kondoru

Part Four-Appendices

Standard disclaimers

Thanks to JP for Betaing.

* * *

Yay. I have managed to keep the footnotes to a minimum.

**Ishikozume rite.**

A form of ritual execution used by the yamabushi. Involves the victim being buried alive. (Yes, it has been attested archaeologically.) What crimes was it for? It seems to vary from account to account (even in some cases, being the fate of those who failed in the face of extremely high level austerities.) All were crimes against the order, rather than ordinary offences, and all take place on sacred ground.

We don't know what was done to the Onikui tengu! (There are no western style accounts of demonic binding in Japan as far as I know, and though names are important, there is no `find a spirits true name and compel it to work for you` in Japan either.) Tengu are extremely powerful creatures, and Kantarou's constant bossing around of Haruka is on the level of lighting-a-fire-by-rubbing-two-lumps-of-plutonium-together stupidity.

Or come to think of it, deliberately-getting-on-the-Tengudo stupidity. (I like to think Sugino ended up in that state by accident.)

Haruka, of course, is `not` the Onikui. (The Onikui does not habitually wear western dress, nor does he live in a neat suburb of Taisho era Tokyo...) as we know, there is an element of compliance in his binding. Probably he is sick of The Rock.

I'm afraid I have misplaced the academic paper which describes all this. I'll tell you more (and if needful adjust the story) when I find it.

**Ichinomiya Kiri's rite.**

Made up but based mostly on real esoteric ritual.

The famous `nine` syllable chant is real, of course. It's from esoteric Buddhism but is derived from Taoism.

Each word is accompanied by a gesture. These ritual gestures are generally known in the west by their Sanskrit name, mudra. In Japanese they are in, so we have the term Kuji-in. (We we can safely assume Kantarou has unbelievably agile fingers to do the complex gestures so fast and so accurately...)

There are many different versions of it, so Ichinomiya Kantarou would have one for each situation. He certainly is not using the same spell every time.

Since this is esoteric Buddhism, mostly used by the yamabushi, and Shugendo is the religion of tengu, we can assume that the Onikui knows all of this and presumably can counter it. Hence Ichinomiya Kiris concern.

**Ichinomiya Akai Kiris Mandala**

Shitenno (Four heavenly kings) on the outside and Godai myo-o on the inside...With Fudo myo-o in his rightful place in the centre.

Rin/Bishamon-ten To/Jikoku-ten

Pyo/Gonzanze myo Sha/Kongo yaksha myo

Kai/Fudo myo

Jin/Gundari myo Sai/Dai-itokou myo

Retsu/Komoku-ten Zen/Zocho-ten

(Mostly thanks to Wikipedia, that fount of hardcore esotericism...)


End file.
